The French Lieutenant's Woman (film)
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| The French Lieutenant's Woman | |
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 Original film poster |
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| Directed by | Karel Reisz |
| Produced by | Leon Clore |
| Written by | Harold Pinter John Fowles(novel) |
| Starring | Meryl Streep Jeremy Irons Hilton McRae David Warner Penelope Wilton Leo McKern |
| Music by | Carl Davis |
| Cinematography | Freddie Francis |
| Editing by | John Bloom |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) |  18 September 1981 |
| Running time | 127 min. |
| Country | UK |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The French Lieutenant's Woman is a 1981 film directed by Karel Reisz and adapted by playwright Harold Pinter. It is based on the novel of the same title by John Fowles. The music score is by Carl Davis and the cinematography by Freddie Francis.
The film stars Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons with Hilton McRae, Jean Faulds, Peter Vaughan, Colin Jeavons, Liz Smith, Patience Collier, Richard Griffiths, David Warner, Alun Armstrong, Penelope Wilton and Leo McKern.
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[edit] Background and production
The plot concerns the love affair between a Victorian gentleman and a woman who has been jilted by a French officer, scandalizing the "polite society" of Lyme Regis.
Instead of trying to create a literal translation of the novel's alternate endings, Pinter's screenplay adopted a more cinematic approach by revealing a story within a story - showing the lives of the actors who portray Fowles' characters. The characters' story ends one way, the actors' another.
The book was published in 1969 and unlike his previous novels the transfer to the big screen was a protracted process with the film rights changing hands a number of times before a treatment, funding and cast were eventually finalised. In 1977 Malcolm Bradbury and Christopher Bigsby approached Fowles to suggest they work on a television adaptation which Fowles was amenable to, but then producer Saul Zaentz came in and the film version was finally green lighted.
A number of names were attached to the project, directors mooted included Sidney Lumet, Robert Bolt, Fred Zinnemann and Milos Forman. The script went through a number of treatments including one by Dennis Potter in 1975 and James Costigan in 1976 before Pinter's final draft was used. Actors considered for the role of Charles Smithson/Mike included Robert Redford and Richard Chamberlain and Sarah/Anna included Francesca Annis, Gemma Jones and Fowles's choice Helen Mirren.[1]
[edit] Awards and nominations
[edit] Academy Awards
Nominations
- Best Actress in a Leading Role: Meryl Streep
- Best Art Direction-Set Decoration
- Best Costume Design
- Best Film Editing
- Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.
[edit] BAFTA Awards
Wins
- Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music: Carl Davis
- Best Actress: Meryl Streep
- Best Sound: Don Sharp, Ivan Sharrock, Bill Rowe
Nominations
- Best Film
- Best Actor: Jeremy Irons
- Best Cinematography: Freddie Francis
- Best Costume Design: Tom Rand
- Best Direction: Karel Reisz
- Best Editing: John Bloom
- Best Production Design/Art Direction: Assheton Gorton
- Best Screenplay: Harold Pinter
[edit] Golden Globe Awards
Win
- Best Actress: Meryl Streep
Nominations
- Best Motion Picture - Drama
- Best Screenplay: Harold Pinter
[edit] Other awards
- Evening Standard British Film Award Best Film: Karel Reisz
- David di Donatello Awards: Best Screenplay - Foreign Film: Harold Pinter
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: Best Actress: Meryl Streep
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ John Fowles, The French Lieutenant's Diary, Granta #86, 2004, ISBN 0 90 314169 8
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